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The Abbey Road Sessions (album)
|last_album = |this_album = |next_album = |single_one = |single1date = 25 September 2012 |single_two = |single2date = 17 December 2012 }}"The Abbey Road Sessions" is an orchestral compilation album by Kylie Minogue, released on 24 October 2012 by Parlophone. The album's production was primarily produced by Steve Anderson and Colin Elliot. The album features sixteen tracks, all radically reworked, spanning Kylie's 25 years in the music industry. The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London with Kylie's band and a full orchestra during November 2011. Musically, the album is primarily orchestral music, which features several instrumentation of guitars, pianos, strings and drums. The album's lead single "Flower", which was originally written in 2007, was a new titled song to the album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, with many finding the recordings her best vocal delivery to date, while some dismissed her transition to orchestral music. Upon its release, the album received generally modest success worldwide, entering the top forty in countries including Scotland, Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, France, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, where it received a certification. Minogue then went on to promote the album with live performances. Development and recording Kylie made her live comeback at Abbey Road Studios in England on 11 November 2011, as part of a special showcase for EMI. She was accompanied by a 22-piece orchestra to perform two of her hits, "All the Lovers" and "On a Night Like This". That same night, Kylie announced that her forthcoming studio album would celebrate 25 years since the release of her debut single "The Loco-Motion" and would contain reworkings of some of her best known songs. She revealed: "I've been at Abbey Road for about two weeks in total. Not just for this, I've been working on a project for next year. Next year's my 25th anniversary so we’ve been recording acoustic and orchestral versions of a number of my hits". On 21 October 2012, Kylie was interviewed on the production of the sessions saying, "It's exploring other avenues – but I don't think it takes me completely away from the dancefloor, because I'm still a sucker for that ... But I think it just rounds things up, makes things more whole and satisfies a different place in me." Before recording at Abbey Road, she had started rehearsals "somewhere cheaper". She said that the Abbey Road studio was "a bit intimidating. I thought the place would have attitude but the whole experience was really gorgeous and you know, you know you are on hallowed ground." One of the songs that was recorded for the album that didn't make the final cut, "Breathe" was uploaded on Kylie's official YouTube account on 13 December 2012. Composition The Abbey Road Sessions were primarily based on orchestral music. The album presented a more "dark", "fragile" and personal style. "Never Too Late" was described as a "sad, tender piano torch song". "Confide in Me" was mostly identified as the album's standout track, being described as a "Moroccan reinvention that swings from intimate to intense." "Hand on Your Heart" was also a highlight, but was generally compared to Jose Gonzales's version, which he covered back in 2006. "The Loco-Motion" was compared to the original version by Little Eva, which was recorded back in the '60s and was described as "playful essence retained on a cute and rockin' ..." For the album, Minogue requested Australian musician Nick Cave to re-record their duet single, "Where the Wild Roses Grow". It was noted as a highlight on the album for being more "stripped" than its "haunting, spare original." "Can't Get You Out of My Head" was cited as the "weirdest" on the album for displaying "weird, frenzied strings". The album's only new track, "Flower", was originally written while Kylie was recovering from her breast cancer diagnosis. The song was intended to be included on her X album, but was cut. Lyrically, the song deals with Kylie desiring a child. Promotion Kylie headlined BBC's Proms in the Park in September 2012 performing eight tracks from the album. In support of the release of the album, she performed The Abbey Road Sessions version of her previous singles in television shows and specials. On 27 October 2012, she performed "Never Too Late" on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. On 18 November 2012, she performed "The Loco-Motion" on Strictly Come Dancing. On 19 November 2012, she performed "On a Night Like This" on the Royal Variety Show. In December 2012, she performed "Can't Get You Out of My Head" on X Factor Italy and The X Factor UK. In December 2012, she performed "On a Night Like This" and "Can't Get You Out of My Head" on the Nobel Peace Prize Concert. On 21 December 2012, she performed "Come Into My World" on Alan Carr: Chatty Man and the next month, the show aired Kylie's performance of "Better the Devil You Know". For the U.S. promotion of the album, she performed "The Loco-Motion" on Dancing with the Stars on 13 November 2012 and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 14 November 2012. Singles "Flower" was released as the first single from the album. The song was originally penned for Kylie's tenth studio album, X'', but was not added. The song received favourable reviews from music critics. It reached the top forty in Belgium (both Wallonia and Flanders) but remained outside the top fifty in the Netherlands. The song was ineligible to chart in the United Kingdom until the release of ''The Abbey Road Sessions, where it only peaked at ninety-six for a sole week on the charts. "On a Night Like This" was released as the second single from the album. The song was originally a single taken from Kylie's seventh studio album, Light Years. Track listing All tracks produced by Steve Anderson and Colin Elliot, except "Flower" produced by Steve Anderson. Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Abbey Road Sessions. | title2 = On a Night Like This | length2 = 3:00 | writer2 = | title3 = Better the Devil You Know | length3 = 3:58 | writer3 = | title4 = Hand on Your Heart | length4 = 3:36 | writer4 = | title5 = I Believe in You | length5 = 2:48 | writer5 = | title6 = Come into My World | length6 = 3:32 | writer6 = | title7 = Finer Feelings | length7 = 3:35 | writer7 = | title8 = Confide in Me | length8 = 4:08 | writer8 = | title9 = Slow | length9 = 4:08 | writer9 = | title10 = The Loco-Motion | length10 = 2:34 | writer10 = | title11 = Can't Get You Out of My Head | length11 = 3:33 | writer11 = | title12 = Where the Wild Roses Grow | note12 = with Nick Cave | length12 = 4:05 | writer12 = Nick Cave | title13 = Flower | length13 = 3:31 | writer13 = | title14 = I Should Be So Lucky | length14 = 3:14 | writer14 = | title15 = Love at First Sight | length15 = 3:35 | writer15 = | title16 = Never Too Late | length16 = 3:01 | writer16 = | total_length = 55:34 | writing_credits = yes }} | length17 = 3:04 }}}} | length17 = 3:41 }}}} Category:Compilation albums Category:The Abbey Road Sessions Category:K25 Category:Parlophone Category:2012 Category:Albums